After the 15-minute helicopter trip to Castel Gandolfo, Pope Benedict
XVI offered a word of thanks to the thousands of people who traveled
there to support him in has last hours as Pope.

“I am happy to be with you, surrounded by the beauty of Creation and
your sympathy that does so much good for me. Thank you for your
friendship and love,” the Pope said at around 5:30 p.m. from the balcony
of his villa.

“You know that today is different than previous ones. I’m no longer the
Pope. Until 8:00 p.m. I am, but then afterwards I am no longer Pope of
the Catholic Church,” he said.

Pope Benedict then offered a window into how he sees this stage of his life.

“I’m simply a pilgrim that is starting the last stage of his pilgrimage
on Earth,” he remarked, “but I would still like with my heart, with my
love, with my prayer, with my reflection, with all my inner strength to
work for the common good of the Church and of humanity, and I feel very
supported by your sympathy.

“Let’s go ahead together with the Lord for the good of the Church and of the world,” he said as he finished his brief greeting.

Pope Benedict XVI then gave his last papal blessing to the crowd.

“Thank you. And now I impart to you the Lord’s blessing with my whole
heart. May God bless you Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Thank you and good
night. Thanks to all of you.”

With the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday evening, the Swiss
Guards have left their posts and sealed the gates of the former
pontiff's temporary residence of Castel Gandolfo.
A crowd of Catholic faithful gathered Feb. 28 outside the papal vacation
spot.

At 8 p.m. Roman time, a loud bell rang eight times as they
shouted “Viva il Papa!” or “Long live the Pope!”
The Swiss Guards entered Castel Gandolfo and hung up their ceremonial
weapons – called halberds – on the inner walls as there is no longer a
sitting Pope for them to protect.
Vatican gendarmes dressed in black uniforms have relieved the guards.
The doors of Castel Gandolfo have been sealed, symbolizing the vacancy
of the See of Peter and the lights of the papal residence in Vatican
City are dark.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has exchanged his red papal shoes for simple
brown ones given to him on his recent trip to Leon in Mexico. He now
wears a simple white cassock without the mozzetta – the short cape that
covers his shoulders.

Benedict XVI traveled to Castel Gandolfo by helicopter and car two hours
before his resignation took effect. Hundreds of Catholic faithful
greeted his arrival to hear his final words as pontiff.
“I’m simply a pilgrim that is starting the last stage of his pilgrimage
on Earth,” he remarked, “but I would still like with my heart, with my
love, with my prayer, with my reflection, with all my inner strength to
work for the common good of the Church and of humanity, and I feel very
supported by your sympathy.”

“Let’s go ahead together with the Lord for the good of the Church and of
the world,” he said before making his final apostolic blessing.

“Thank you and good night. Thanks to all of you,” Pope Benedict said before departing from the Castel Gandolfo balcony.

Now that he has resigned, the former Pope will live at Castel Gandolfo
for two months before moving to a monastery inside Vatican City.

In the
upcoming days, 115 cardinals will gather at the Vatican to elect his
successor.

The abdication of
Pope Benedict XVI (Joseph Ratzinger) came as a surprise to the entire Christian
world, including representatives of the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC).

Noting
the tremendous progress made between the different Christian traditions under
his papacy, experts believe that, whoever is elected to lead the Catholic
Church, relations with the ROC will not suffer.The official
position of the ROC was stated by the chairman of the Department for External
Church Relations (DECR) of the Moscow Patriarchate, Metropolitan Hilarion of
Volokalamsk. He suggested that, in the face of serious challenges requiring new
stimuli, the pope is naturally giving way to a younger and more dynamic
successor.

"Pope
Benedict XVI's decision to resign can be regarded as an act of personal courage
and humility," read the statement issued by the head of the DECR.
"The Orthodox Church is grateful to the outgoing pontiff for his
understanding of the obstacles that lie in the way of fully normalized
relations between the Orthodox and Catholic churches, especially in western
Ukraine."

On the eve of the
announcement of the pope's abdication, Metropolitan Hilarion aptly noted the
positive trend in relations between the Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic
churches that had taken place following the ascension of Ratzinger to the Holy
See.

"It is hoped that his successor will continue along the same path, so
that the relationship between Orthodox and Catholic Christians further develops
for the common good of all Christendom," said the metropolitan.Patriarch Kirill
of Moscow and All Russia also praised the pope's action. In his opinion,
"Pope Benedict XVI's position on the most pressing issues of our time is
worthy of respect, as is his steadfast upholding of the apostolic
tradition."

This statement was erroneously reported in the press as a
comment on the pope's abdication, when, in fact, the patriarch had made the
assessment a few days earlier.In conversation
with RBTH, experts from both sides of the divide agreed that relations with the
ROC will not deteriorate, regardless of the identity of the new pope."The Catholic
Church has always seen its most important task in deepening the ecclesiastical
communion and ecumenical dialogue. Unity is achievable, but it is difficult to
predict when it will happen: are we talking about the near future or centuries
hence? The election of a new pope will not alter that perspective," says
the Rev. Kirill Gorbunov, director of the information service of the Roman
Catholic Archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow.

Of course, the
identity of the new pope will be of significance. Gorbunov admits that the new
pontiff may not be European and, therefore, may be less knowledgeable about Russia
than popes John Paul II or Benedict XVI.

"But the basic principle of
reciprocity has been formulated, and no major changes are to be expected.
History and divine purpose are far greater than individual personalities.
Today, the two churches are facing new challenges — in many countries,
Christianity is now a minority religion. And the development of relations
between Catholics and Orthodox is an internal requirement for all," said
Gorbunov.

Senior Archdeacon
Andrei Kuraev, an Orthodox publisher, believes that predictions are futile
until the successor is known. "If the pope comes from Latin America or
Africa, he will have his own agenda and priorities," said the ROC
representative.

Roman Silantyev,
head of the Geography of Religions Center, believes that, if the new pope is
European, relations between the Vatican and the Moscow Patriarchate will not
change. In global terms, the ROC and the Catholic Church are allies, despite
some unresolved issues, such as the Uniate Church in Ukraine.

"Benedict XVI
leaves office with relations between the two churches in a healthy condition.
Russia hopes that his successor will preserve them. That is likely to be the
case if the new pope is European. If he is from Latin America or Africa, the
pendulum could swing. But Catholics would prefer to see a European pope, since
Europe is where the Church's main problems are currently focused," said
Silantyev.

Executive
secretary of the Russian Catholic Encyclopedia, Alexei Yudin, agrees that
relations under Pope Benedict XVI have stabilized; he believes that Ratzinger
himself was of interest to the Orthodox world as a distinguished theologian.
Both churches face global issues, which is leading to rapprochement rather than
division. The ROC is expanding its missionary work, in which it will require
pastoral assistance.

"It
is important to remember that the Christian East — including Russian Orthodoxy
— is close to the heart of many Europeans," said Yudin. "But whoever
is elected to the Holy See will have to change. It is possible that an
‘unexpected’ pontiff (i.e., African or Latin American) would display hitherto
unseen energy, adding new impetus to the dialogue. In any case, the prospects
for further development of relations are good."

The
Diocese of Santa Rosa, California, is asking teachers at Catholic
schools to affirm their support for Church teaching, explicitly
including the teaching on controversial issues such as abortion,
contraception, and same-sex marriage.

"I am simply fulfilling my duty and responsibility to make sure that the
Catholic faith, as it is presented in the Catechism of the Catholic
Church, is clearly and consistently taught in the Catholic institutions
of the diocese,” explained Bishop Robert Vasa of Santa Rosa.

Responding
to complaints from some teachers, the bishop said that his policy was
designed to ensure that teachers in Catholic schools provide models of
Catholic living for their students.

A prominent Catholic and gay blogger has renewed speculation that the outgoing Pope Benedict may be secretly gay.

Following the announcement that Benedict will not go into hidden retirement but will instead continue living in the Vatican with trusted secretary Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, The Dish's Andrew Sullivan penned a post titled, "Two Popes, One Secretary," in which he speculates that "something truly weird going on."

The 56-year-old Gaenswein, dubbed "Gorgeous Georg" by the Italian media, was recently featured on the cover of Italian Vogue,
according to the New York Daily News.

Vanity Fair, which did not
interview the archbishop for the article, titled its piece: "Father
Georg - It's not a sin to be beautiful.""So Benedict’s handsome male companion will continue to live with him,
while working for the other Pope during the day," Sullivan writes. "Are
we supposed to think that’s, well, a normal arrangement?"

Clearly, Sullivan does not. In a past column,
Sullivan concluded that it "seems pretty obvious" that "the current
Pope is a gay man," albeit one who has not "explored his sexuality, or
has violated his own strictures on the matter."

Detailing the close
relationship between His Holiness and the papal right-hand man,
Sullivan's column cites Colm Tóibín's tabloid-esque review of Angelo Quattrocchi's book The Pope Is Not Gay.

From the review:

When asked if he felt nervous in the presence of the
Holy Father, Gänswein replied that he sometimes did and added: ‘But it
is also true that the fact of meeting each other and being together on a
daily basis creates a sense of “familiarity”, which makes you feel less
nervous. But obviously I know who the Holy Father is and so I know how
to behave appropriately. There are always some situations, however, when
the heart beats a little stronger than usual.’

Gaenswein's proposed living arrangement is just more proof for Sullivan that the pope is closeted.

"This man – clearly in some kind of love with Ratzinger
(and vice-versa) will now be working for the new Pope as secretary in
the day and spending the nights with the Pope Emeritus," Sullivan wrote
this week. "This is not the Vatican. It’s Melrose Place."

Sullivan's column is more grist for the Vatican's gay rumor wheel,
coming on the heels of a bombshell article in Italian paper La
Repubblica, which claimed the pope's resignation was influenced by a
damning internal document that reportedly cited powerful lobbying influences in the Vatican, including a gay lobby.

La Repubblica detailed other points from the alleged dossier,
including the claim that a gay underground network organized sexual
meetings of members at venues across Rome and Vatican City.

In his first interview since the Pope announced he would step down, Cardinal George Pell has voiced concerns about the decision.‘‘People who, for example, might disagree with a future pope will
mount a campaign to get him to resign,’’ he told the Seven Network
yesterday.Cardinal Pell described Pope Benedict as a "brilliant teacher", but noted that "government wasn’t his strongest point".

"(The new Pope has) got to
know his theology, but I think I prefer somebody who can lead the
church and pull it together a bit," he said.

Yahoo7 reports that Cardinal Pell also said in his interview that sex abuse is not the biggest problem confronting the Church.

The loss of belief and believers was the greatest challenge facing the Church, he said."I think [the biggest problem] is the spread of unbelief in the first world," the Cardinal said.

"You know that today is different
from others . . . as of 8 pm I will no longer be the Supreme Pontiff of the
Catholic Church. I will simply be a pilgrim who is beginning the last part of
his pilgrimage on earth. But with my heart, my love, my prayer, with all my interior
strength, I will work for the common good and the good of the Church and all
humanity," said Benedict XVI as he greeted the people of Castel Gandolfo as pope for the last time.

It
was just past 5.30 pm on the last day of his pontificate. A few thousands of
the faithful had crowded the square in the small Italian town not far from
Rome, Italian, Vatican and German flags in the background. "Thank you Benedict.
We are with you!"someone scrawled on a building.As
for Benedict XVI, he thanked "his friends" in a town he is known to
love. "I am happy to be here with you, surrounded by the beauty of
Creation
and your friendship that does me so much good, thank you for your
friendship,
for caring," he told the crowd. "I feel greatly supported by your
affection. Let us move forward together with the Lord for the good of
the
Church and the world."In his last message on Tweeter, he wrote, "Thank you for your love
and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ
at the centre of your lives."

Earlier in the afternoon that ended his pontificate, just before 5 pm, Benedict XVI arrived, an unusual walking
stick his hand, in the Vatican's innermost courtyard, that of San Damaso, where, flag at
full mast, Swiss Guards stood at attention. The small space was filled with
officials and employees from the Secretariat of State, some of their relatives
and other Vatican employees. There was no ceremony, only the pope's greeting
for those who had worked closest with him.

At exactly 5 pm, the
pope got into his car and left the
Apostolic Palace for the last time after seven years, ten months and nine days,
driven by the Lourdes Grotto to reach the heliport.In
St Peter's Square people still lingered. Across from the heliport, a banner
hanging from a building read, "Grazie! (Thank you!)". As the helicopter took
off, the bells of Rome and Castel Gandolfo rang out; moved, people
applauded.

The
aircraft then proceeded to fly over the Eternal City: St Peter's Square, the
Coliseum and the Basilica of St John, the cathedral of the pope's own diocese.

Upon
his arrival in Castel Gandolfo, a smiling Benedict XVI was welcomed by a small
group of dignitaries that included Card Giuseppe Bertello, president of the
Governatorate of the Vatican City State; Mgr Marcello Semeraro, bishop of Albano;
Castel Gandolfo's parish priest, Fr Pietro Diletti; the town's mayor, Milvia
Monachesi; and Saverio Petrillo, director of the Pontifical Villas.

Benedict
XVI should remain in Castel Gandolfo for about two months, until the Mater
Ecclesiae Convent inside the Vatican is fully restructured.

Tonight,
at 8 pm (CET), 17 days after the pope announced his resignation, the Swiss
Guard will end its service at the Papal Palace in Castel Gandolfo.

1. The holy joe/parish busy body

You know the guy; the one who opens the chapel, does the collection,
reads, serves communion, along with a whole host of other
goody-two-shoes mass related activities.

Undoubtedly the priest's favourite.

2. The smelly farmer

Runs in from milking, no time to wash the face.

Just throw off the wellies and on the boots, and straight out the door!

Then some poor soul has to sit beside him for 40 minutes while he reeks of sweat and souring milk.

3. The grannies who arrived early to light candles

They light a candle for Jimmy because he has exams, they light a
candle for Louise because she's away in the Gaelteacht, for Micky
because he's after going in to get the hip done, they light a candle for
Brendan because he's after losing his good pair of trousers...

...The list goes on.

4. The lads down the back

The cool lads down the back not giving a flying freckle what's going
on above on the altar.

They're there to chat football, the price of
cattle and the Late Late Show.

5. The screaming toddler

For the love of God would they just shut up!?

Inevitably the mother
or father has to take them out and then they get a good rollicking when
they get home.

It's happened to all of us when we were young, don't deny it.

6. The folks who don't know the new prayers

Peace be with you –

And also wit ... What do you mean it's 'and with your spirit' now!?

7. The Priest who cuts sermons short if there's a football match

Keep an eye out for the irreplaceable Fr Kevin Fay in the video
above.

He's the guy running and jumping across the field when Ben Conaty
scores a goal for St Pats College, Cavan.

8. The young lad who's left standing at the altar at communion

The poor divil heads up last for communion, walking behind a grown up
and then the priest doesn't see them.

Alas they're left mortified, on
their own at the altar, not knowing whether to run out of the chapel or
cry.

9. The late arrivals

Being late's always acceptable once it's before the Gospel ... right?

10. The one who thinks she's Celine Dion

The one who's not in the choir but thinks they should be.

Sings along
with every song but usually sounds like Liam Neeson chasing a load of
hens around in a barrel.

11. The slow and boring priest

Speaking of Fr Ted; their boring priest character is one we know too
well in real life.

He's dull, monotonous and his sermons seem to last a
fortnight!

12. The nearly deaf person who shouts

No matter where you are in the chapel you can hear their responses above everyone else.

What's worse now is the fact that they're usually old and set in
their ways so haven't adjusted to the new prayers – causing utter havoc
amongst the congregation.

13. The girl you fancy

Well I dare say there's no more uncomfortable place for young teenage lad to see the girl from down the road that he fancies.

For the first ten minutes you give out to yourself for thinking about
a girl while in mass but then you give in and stare at her for the rest
of the sermon.

Then of course there's the terribly awkward moment when
you've to walk by her seat on the way to communion!

14. The ones who leave after communion

There's no time! I have to get home in time for Sunday Brunch on Channel 4.

15. The serial handshaker

They will not rest until they've shaken hands with everybody in the same seat as them, the seat in front and the seat behind.

16. The visiting priest

Every now and again you'll get a little surprise when a priest from 'somewhere else' arrives out from the vestry to say mass.

He could be from the neighbouring parish or better yet; a local
priest who's on a holiday home from the missions.

As Pope Benedict XVI resigns today, intensified analysis of his
tenure at the Vatican continues while speculation over the next pope
heats up.

Undeniably, the outgoing pope’s record on LGBT issues is
extremely negative.

Looking to the Church’s recent history to help
formulate the future is an essential task as we transition, and many
Catholic commentators approach Benedict’s tenure within the larger
context of a Church still uneasy with sexual orientation and gender
identity.

Writing in National Catholic Reporter,
Thomas Fox details the intricate relationship the institutional Church
has had with LGBT matters, placing Pope Benedict XVI as a central figure
in creating a hostile environment:

“For at least the last five decades, Catholic
pronouncements on gay Catholic issues have been at least ambivalent and
even sometimes contradictory. They have included exhortations on
pastoral care and inclusivity and at the same time admonitions against
gay lifestyles and warnings to gay Catholic organizations…“Much of the current theological and social environment in which the
church ministers — or does not minister — to gay Catholics was formed
during the papacy of Pope John Paul II when Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger,
then prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued
statements on homosexuality.“Repeatedly, Ratzinger placed doctrinal enforcement over pastoral
considerations. In the process, he built the reputation of being ‘God’s
Rottweiler.’”

Fox elucidates on the main documents and moments since Vatican II
that have created a pendulum-like engagement by the bishops, heavily
emphasizing that Cardinal Ratzinger, as head of the Congregation for the
Doctrine of the Faith, led the charge against pro-gay Catholic
organizations and figures. Now, as a new papacy is to begin, some of
Pope Benedict’s victims speak optimistically of moving forward:

“New Ways Ministry’s executive director, Francis
DeBernardo, said he is cautiously hopeful looking into the future. He
said he hopes the next pope will be listener.“[New Ways Ministry co-founder Sr. Jeannine] Gramick said she wants the papal war on gay people to end.“‘The church,’ she said, ‘requires a future pope with a pastoral heart who is willing to listen and engage in dialogue.’”

At least in this sede vacante ["empty seat"] period, hopes
for a positive papacy arriving in March persist. Theologian Hans Kung,
speaking to the German magazine Der Spiegel, expressed the following desires for a new pope that would move Catholicism forward:

“A pope who is not intellectually stuck in the Middle
Ages, one who does not represent mediaeval theology, liturgy and
religious order. I would like to see a pope who is open first to
suggestions for reform and secondly, to the modern age. We need a pope
who not only preaches freedom of the Church around the world but also
supports, with his words and deeds, freedom and human rights within the
Church — of theologians, women and all Catholics who want to speak the
truth about the state of the Church and are calling for change.”

In an interview, Terry Weldon of Queering the Church expresses a much longer-term desire:

“One day we will have a gay pope, as we’ve had before and
that would be terrific…It’s probably too early now, but I would
certainly expect that there will be a time when there will be a pope who
is openly gay and willing to admit it. That would be a sign of health
in the Church.”

Whether a openly gay pope emerges from the Conclave or not, LGBT
advocates must now enter into a prayerful period that an accepting and
welcoming Spirit will come upon whichever cardinal assumes the papacy.

On Monday, April 4, 2005, a priest walked up to the Renaissance
palazzo housing the Vatican's doctrine department and asked the doorman
to call the official in charge: It was the first day of business after
Pope John Paul II had died, and the cleric wanted to get back to work.The office's No. 2, Archbishop Angelo Amato, answered the phone and
was stunned.

This was no ordinary priest.

It was Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger, his boss, who under the Vatican's arcane rules had
technically lost his job when John Paul died."It tells me of the great humility of the man, the great
sense of duty, but also the great awareness that we are here to do a
job," said Bishop Charles Scicluna, who worked with Ratzinger before he
became Pope Benedict XVI, inside the Congregation for the Doctrine of
the Faith.In resigning, Scicluna said, Benedict is showing the same sense of
humility, duty and service as he did after the Catholic Church lost its
last pope."He has done his job."When Benedict flies off into retirement by helicopter today, he
will leave behind a church in crisis – one beset by sex scandal,
internal divisions and dwindling numbers.

But the 85-year-old pope can count on a solid legacy: While his very
resignation was his most significant act, Benedict – in a quieter way –
also set the church back on a conservative, tradition-minded path.He was guided by the firm conviction that many of the ills afflicting
the church could be traced to a misreading of the reforms of the Second
Vatican Council.

He insisted that
the 1962-65 meetings that brought the church into the modern era were
not a radical break from the past, as portrayed by many liberals, but
rather a continuation of the best traditions of the 2,000-year-old
church.Benedict was the teacher pope, a theology professor who turned his
Wednesday general audiences into master classes about the Catholic faith
and the history, saints and sinners that contributed to it.In his teachings, he sought to boil Christianity down to its
essential core. He didn't produce volumes of encyclicals like his
predecessor, just three: on charity, hope and love. (He penned a fourth,
on faith, but retired before finishing it.)Considered by many to be the greatest living theologian, he authored
more than 65 books, stretching from the classic "Introduction to
Christianity" in 1968 to the final installment of his triptych on "Jesus
of Nazareth" last year – considered by some to be his most important
contribution to the church. In between he produced the "Catechism of the
Catholic Church" – essentially a how-to guide to being a Catholic.

Benedict spent the bulk of his early career in the classroom, as a
student and then professor of dogma and fundamental theology at
universities in Bonn, Muenster, Tuebingen and Regensburg, Germany."His classrooms were crowded," recalled the Rev. Joseph Fessio, a
theology student of Ratzinger's at the University of Regensburg from
1972-74, and now the English-language publisher of his books."I don't recall him having notes," Fessio said. "He would stand at
the front of the class, and he wasn't looking at you, not with eye
contact, but he was looking over you, almost meditating."It's a style that he's kept for 40 years."If you hear him give a sermon, he's speaking not from notes, but you
can write it down and print it," Fessio said. "Every comma is there.
Every pause."Benedict never wanted to be pope and he didn't take easily to the
rigors of the job. Elected April 19, 2005, after one of the shortest
conclaves in history, Benedict was, at 78, the oldest pope elected in
275 years and the first German in nearly a millennium.

At first he was stiff.Giovanni Maria Vian, editor of the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore
Romano, recalled that in the early days Benedict used to greet crowds
with an awkward victory gesture "as if he were an athlete.""At some point someone told him that wasn't a very papal gesture,"
Vian said. Benedict changed course, opting for an open-armed embrace or
an almost effeminate twinkling of his fingers on an outstretched hand as
a way of connecting with the crowd."No one is born a pope," Vian said. "You have to learn to be a pope."And slowly Benedict learned.Crowds accustomed to a quarter-century of superstar John Paul II,
grew to embrace the soft-spoken, scholarly Benedict, who had an uncanny
knack for being able to absorb different points of view and pull them
together in a coherent whole.He traveled, though less extensively than John Paul, and presided
over Masses that were heavy on Latin, Gregorian chant and the silk
brocaded vestments of his pre-Vatican II predecessors.Benedict seemed genuinely surprised by the warm reception he received
– as well as the harsh criticism when things went wrong, as they did
when he lifted the excommunication of a bishop who turned out to be a
Holocaust-denier.For a theologian who for decades had worked toward reconciliation
between Catholics and Jews, the outrage was fierce and painful.Benedict was also burdened by what he called the "filth" of the church: the sins and crimes of its priests.As prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,
Benedict saw first-hand the scope of sex abuse as early as the 1980s,
when he tried unsuccessfully to persuade the Vatican legal department to
let him remove abusive priests quickly.But it was 2001 before he finally stepped in, ordering all abuse cases sent to his office for review."We used to discuss the cases on Fridays; he used to call it the
Friday penance," recalled Scicluna, who was Ratzinger's sex crimes
prosecutor from 2002-2012.Still, to this day, Benedict hasn't sanctioned a single bishop for covering up abuse."Unfortunately, Pope Benedict's legacy in the abuse crisis is one of
mistaken emphases, missed opportunities, and gestures at the margin,
rather than changes at the center," said Terrence McKiernan of
BishopAccountability.org, an online resource of abuse documentation.He praised Benedict for meeting with victims, and acknowledged the
strides the Vatican made under his leadership. But, he said Benedict
ignored the problem for too long, "prioritizing concerns about dissent
over the massive evidence of abuse that was pouring into his office.""He acted as no other pope has done when pressed or forced, but his
papacy has been reactive on this central issue," McKiernan said in an
email.Benedict also gets poor grades from liberal Catholics, who felt
abandoned by a pope who seemed to roll back the clock on the modernizing
reforms of Vatican II and launched a crackdown on Vatican nuns, deemed
to have strayed too far from his doctrinal orthodoxy.Some priests are now living in open rebellion with church teaching,
calling for a rethink on everything from homosexuality to women's
ordination to priestly celibacy."As Roman Catholics worldwide prepare for the conclave, we are
reminded that the current system remains an `old boys club' and does not
allow for women's voices to participate in the decision of the next
leader of our church," said Erin Saiz Hanna, head of the Women's
Ordination Conference, a group that ordains women in defiance of church
teaching.The group plans to raise pink smoke during the conclave "as a prayerful reminder of the voices of the church that go unheard."But Benedict won't be around at the Vatican to see it. His work is done. "Mission Accomplished," Vian said.

And as the pope told 150,000 people in his final speech as pope: "To
love the church is to have the courage to make difficult, painful
choices, always keeping in mind the good of the church, not oneself."

Pope Benedict XVI bid an emotional farewell at his last general
audience, acknowledging the “rough seas” that marked his papacy “when it
seemed that the lord was sleeping”.In
an unusually public outpouring for such a private man, he alluded to
some of the most difficult times of his papacy, which was dogged by sex
abuse scandals, leaks of his private papers, and reports of infighting
among his closest aides.

“Thank you, I am very moved,” the Pope told a cheering crowd of more
than 150,000 people in St Peter’s Square before he steps down this
evening — the first pope to do so in six centuries.

He said he
had great trust in the Church’s future, that his abdication was for the
good of the Church, and asked for prayers for cardinals choosing his
successor at a time of crisis.

The Vatican said the address — repeatedly interrupted by
applause and cries of “Benedict, Benedict” — was the last by the Pope,
who, as of this evening, will have the title “pope emeritus”.

“There were moments of joy and light but also moments that were not
easy... There were moments, as there were throughout the history of the
Church, when the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it
seemed that the lord was sleeping,” he said.

When he finished,
the crowd, which spilled over into surrounding streets and included
many of the red-hatted cardinals who will elect his successor ina
closed-doors conclave next month, stood to applaud.

“I took this step in the full knowledge of its gravity and rarity but with a profound serenity of spirit,” he said.

Loving the Church meant “having the courage to take difficult and
anguished choices, always having in mind the good of the Church and not
oneself”.

The Pope said he was too old and weak to continue
leading a Church beset by crises over child abuse by priests and a leak
of Vatican documents showing corruption and rivalry among Vatican
officials.

He said he was not “coming down from the cross” but
would serve the Church through prayer. Some of those who have faulted
Benedict for resigning have pointed to the late Pope John Paul II, who
said he would “not come down from the cross” despite his bad health
because he believed his suffering could inspire others.

Many Catholics, as well as close papal aides, were stunned by Benedict’s decision on Feb 11 and concerned about its impact.

Most in the square were supportive of Benedict, who has become increasingly frail in the past few months.

“He did what he had to do in his conscience before God,” said Sr
Carmel, who came with fellow nuns and members of her parish north of
Rome.

“This is a day in which we are called to trust in the
lord, a day of hope,” she said. “There is no room for sadness here
today. We have to pray, there are many problems in the Church but we
have to trust in the lord.”

Not everybody agreed.

“He was a disaster. It’s good
for everyone that he resigned,” said Peter McNamara, 61, an Australian
of Irish descent who said he had come to the square “to witness
history”.

Benedict will move to the papal summer residence south of Rome tonight and later to a convent in the Vatican.

He will lay aside the red “shoes of the fisherman” that have been part
of his papal attire and wear brown loafers given to him by shoemakers
during a trip to León, Mexico, last year. He will wear a “simple white
cassock”, the Vatican said.

His lead seal and ring of office,
known as the “ring of the fisherman”, will be destroyed according to
Church rules, just as if he had died.

“The
Church is in the world but not of the world and it is a living body”,
therefore it is not an institution designed and conceived according to
pre-set plans, but of God. Wednesday’s audience is proof of this, it has
shown the “awakening of the Church in souls”. Below please find a Vatican Radio translation of the Holy Father’s words to the College of Cardinals Thursday morning:Dear beloved brothersI
welcome you all with great joy and cordially greet each one of you. I
thank Cardinal Angelo Sodano, who as always, has been able to convey the
sentiments of the College, Cor ad cor loquitur. Thank you, Your Eminence, from my heart.And
referring to the disciples of Emmaus, I would like to say to you all
that it has also been a joy for me to walk with you over the years in
light of the presence of the Risen Lord. As I said yesterday, in front
of thousands of people who filled St. Peter's Square, your closeness,
your advice, have been a great help to me in my ministry. In these 8
years we have experienced in faith beautiful moments of radiant light in
the Churches’ journey along with times when clouds have darkened the
sky. We have tried to serve Christ and his Church with deep and total
love which is the soul of our ministry. We have gifted hope that comes
from Christ alone, and which alone can illuminate our path. Together we
can thank the Lord who has helped us grow in communion, to pray to
together, to help you to continue to grow in this deep unity so that the
College of Cardinals is like an orchestra, where diversity, an
expression of the universal Church, always contributes to a superior
harmony of concord. I would like to leave you with a simple thought that
is close to my heart, a thought on the Church, Her mystery, which is
for all of us, we can say, the reason and the passion of our lives. I am
helped by an expression of Romano Guardini’s, written in the year in
which the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council approved the
Constitution Lumen Gentium, his last with a personal dedication to me, so the words of this book are particularly dear to me .Guardini
says: "The Church is not an institution devised and built at table, but
a living reality. She lives along the course of time by transforming
Herself, like any living being, yet Her nature remains the same. At Her
heart is Christ. "This was our experience yesterday, I think,
in the square. We could see that the Church is a living body, animated
by the Holy Spirit, and truly lives by the power of God, She is in the
world but not of the world. She is of God, of Christ, of the Spirit, as
we saw yesterday. This is why another eloquent expression of Guardini’s
is also true: "The Church is awakening in souls." The Church lives,
grows and awakens in those souls which like the Virgin Mary accept and
conceive the Word of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. They offer to
God their flesh and in their own poverty and humility become capable of
giving birth to Christ in the world today. Through the Church the
mystery of the Incarnation remains present forever. Christ continues to
walk through all times in all places. Let us remain united, dear
brothers, to this mystery, in prayer, especially in daily Eucharist, and
thus serve the Church and all humanity. This is our joy that no one can
take from us.Prior to bidding farewell to each of you
personally, I want to tell you that I will continue to be close to you
in prayer, especially in the next few days, so that you may all be fully
docile to the action of the Holy Spirit in the election of the new
Pope. May the Lord show you what is willed by Him. And among you, among
the College of Cardinals, there is also the future Pope, to whom, here
to today, I already promise my unconditional reverence and obedience.
For all this, with affection and gratitude, I cordially impart upon you
my Apostolic Blessing.Below please find a Vatican Radio
translation of the farewell discourse by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of
the College of Cardinals to Pope Benedict XVI.Holiness,With
great trepidation the cardinals present in Rome gather around you
today, once again to show their deep affection and express their
heartfelt gratitude for your selfless witness of apostolic service, for
the good of the Church of Christ and of all humanity.Last
Saturday, at the end of the Spiritual Exercises in the Vatican, you
thanked your collaborators from the Roman Curia, with these moving
words: My friends, I would like to thank all of you not only for this
week but for the past eight years, during which you have carried with
me, with great skill, affection, love and loyalty, the weight of the
Petrine ministry.Beloved and revered Successor of Peter,
it is we who must thank you for the example you have given us in the
past eight years of Pontificate. On 19 April 2005 you joined the long
line of successors of the Apostle Peter, and today, 28 February 2013,
you are about to leave us, as we wait for the helm of the Barque of
Peter to pass into other hands. Thus the apostolic succession continues,
which the Lord promised His Holy Church, until the voice of the Angel
of the Apocalypse is heard proclaim on earth : " Tempus non erit amplius ... consummabitur mysterium Dei" (Ap 10,
6-7) "there is no longer time.: the mystery of God is finished." So
ends the history of the Church, together with the history of the world,
with the advent of a new heaven and a new earth.Holy Father,
with deep love we have tried to accompany you on your journey, reliving
the experience of the disciples of Emmaus who, after walking with Jesus
for a good stretch of road, said to one another: "Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way?" (Luke 24:32).Yes,
Holy Father, know that our hearts burned too as we walked with you in
the past eight years. Today we want to once again express our gratitude.Together we repat a typical expression of your dear native land "Vergelt's Gott" God reward you!

More than 700 women who were part of the Magdalene Laundries have
contacted the Department of Justice in the week since the Taoiseach
issued a State apology and announced a compensation fund.

The
number registering their interest in being considered for compensation,
benefits, or support is at the upper end of what the Coalition
expected. As a scheme to compensate them is devised, Social
Protection Minister Joan Burton said the four religious orders that ran
the laundries needed “to think about taking part in the redress scheme
to compensate them”.

During Dáil statements on the laundries report, Ms Burton said she hoped the orders would “step forward” and contribute.